After Ruins
by AutyRose
Summary: This one-shot occurs after the events of Ruins of the Empire (spoilers follow). Korra and Asami have returned to Republic City after stopping Commander Guan from resurrecting the Earth Empire. While the pair hopes to put what happened behind them, tension still rears as they both try to process everything that went down in Gaoling and Zaofu.


Hello everyone! I hope you are having a fantastic day! I know it has been awhile since I've posted anything. Life has gotten hectic and I took a break from writing to pursue other passions. And whilst I'm still pursuing those passions, I could never let my love for Korrasami, Legend of Korra, Avatar, and my Elements Series die.

While this one-shot is not directly related to the Elements Series, it did inspire me to revisit the story and start writing again. I need to read through all 300,000+ words that I have written before I start to craft again, but I have plans for this Series in the next few months to a year, with a potential rewrite of older entries in the series to bring it up to speed with my current writing style (events of course wouldn't change, just wording!). But we shall see what the future holds.

I want to thank each and every one of you for your support throughout the long years of constant and distant updates. Every time I get a random comment on one of my fics still, it warms my heart.

This is just a little one-shot, shy of even 4,000 words, but I felt the need to vent my creativity. This takes place after the Ruins of the Empire graphic novel series occurs, so if you want to remain spoiler free for how that series ends, please don't read this fic.

Thank-you again for all of your love and support, and I hope to see you in the next few months to come.

Love Always,

AutyRose

(-)

This one-shot occurs after the events of Ruins of the Empire (spoilers follow).

Korra and Asami have returned to Republic City after stopping Commander Guan from resurrecting the Earth Empire. While the pair hopes to put what happened behind them, tension still rears as they both try to process everything that went down in Gaoling and Zaofu.

(-)

Korra's eyes cracked open to the muffled sounds of Satomobiles and Cabbage Cars revving along the streets of Republic City. The soft yellow light of the sunrise peeked through a slit in the curtains. Korra rubbed her face and groaned, not ready to leave bed to face the world just yet; she had already done enough of that in the last week, dealing with Commander Guan and his attempts to resurrect the Earth Empire Kuvira had started to take over the Earth Kingdom.

A chill ran across her skin. She didn't want to think about it.

She rolled away from the window to find an empty half of the bed beside her. The sheets were neatly made, the pillow fluffed.

Korra squinted through the half-lit room.

_Did Asami leave for work already?_ Korra sat upright and scratched her head. _She usually says goodbye before she leaves, even if I'm sleeping in. _Korra glanced the room. _Maybe she knew how tired you were and just wanted you to rest after everything in Gaoling,_ a voice murmured.

Korra sighed. "Maybe you're right," she muttered to herself. She planted her feet on the floor beside the bed and forced herself up. A yawn escaped her as she trudged to the bathroom.

Her tired blue eyes reflected back as she washed her hands. She could see some of the empty bedroom behind her. A scowl crossed her face.

_Something just doesn't seem right_.

Korra creaked across the bedroom floor and pulled the door open. She glanced down the hall. It seemed emptier than normal.

_Still no Asami,_ Korra thought as she squinted down towards the common spaces.

She walked to the kitchen. The journey seemed to be double in length than usual.

It was empty, not a speck out of place.

"Korra?"

Asami's voice floated to her and Korra rushed in its direction.

"Asami," Korra called with a smile on her face, until she rounded the corner.

Korra stopped dead in her tracks. The smile faded.

Asami stood by the door of their apartment, two large suitcases beside her.

Korra swallowed, struggling to remember how to speak. "Are you – going on a long business trip?"

Asami glanced at the bags and frowned. "No."

Korra took a cautious step forward. "Is everything okay?"

Asami grabbed her own elbows, eyes still on the luggage. "I didn't want to leave without telling you. I owe you that much."

Korra's face scrunched in confusion, though her heart dropped in her chest. "Tell me what?"

"Well, I've been thinking a lot about what happened, and part of me thinks that – that it wasn't all Commander Guan's ideas…"

"Asami, I don't understand."

"Korra, I – I don't think I can be with you anymore."

It took the locking of her knees to keep Korra upright. "A-Asami, what do you mean?"

"Everything that happened in Gaoling, things Kuvira said to me, it gave me time to think, and I just," Asami inhaled, "I don't think I love you anymore. We hold hands in public and kiss and what not, but I just – I don't _feel _the same way I used to."

"Asami –" Korra reached out to her with a shaky hand. It was all she could think to do.

"Don't touch me," Asami smacked it away. The tone was dark, familiar. "Don't pretend like you care about me," Asami's voice boomed in Korra's ears.

Korra looked up to meet Asami's eyes. She was expecting the lifeless pupils that she had seen not too long ago in Gaoling, and again in Zaofu.

Except Asami wasn't wearing the greens of the rebranded Earth Empire soldier uniform that she had been forced to wear under Commander Guan's control. And her eyes were full of life instead of the empty shell they had been when Asami was not herself.

These were her genuine eyes, and her genuine words.

"I can't just keep running around with you on your Avatar adventures, Korra. I have a business to run and people who rely on me to help them feed their families. And I just – I don't love you anymore." Asami grabbed the handle of one of her suitcases and faced the door. She looked over her shoulder at Korra. "Goodbye, Korra."

Korra watched with horror as Asami opened the door, pulled her luggage through, and shut it behind her. As the door clicked, a paper fell to the floor, facing Korra. The letters were written in streaks of red large enough for her to see from where she stood. Her heart and soul seemed to have ejected from her body. She glanced down at the paper. It read, as clear as day:

"YOU ARE MY ENEMY"

Korra jumped awake, sweat covering her body. She glanced around the room but could see nothing. It was pitch black, the lights shut off hours ago and the fire long dead in the mantle. Slowly her eyes adjusted to the faint orange glow of streetlights peeking through the cracks of the curtains.

A chill crawled along her skin. Her white pajama shirt clung to her, as did strands of her short hair. Korra spun immediately to her left.

Asami was asleep beside her, just as Korra had remembered before dozing off.

Korra dug her fingers into her hair and held her forehead with her palms. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

_It was just a dream. It was just a dream. _

She glanced over at Asami and frowned.

"_Don't pretend like you care about me,"_ the words echoed in her mind.

Korra shook her head. _Those were Guan's words, not Asami's._ Still, Korra glanced back at the slumbering Asami. She frowned and her heart swelled with worry.

Korra quietly stepped off the bed and meandered to the bedroom door. She looked over her shoulder once more at her sleeping partner. She sighed and left the room.

Korra walked down the hall, its length feeling just as long as it did in her dream. This time, however, she was met in the kitchen by a sleepy-turning-eager Naga.

Naga sniffed Korra and licked her cheek, growing more excited by the second. Korra scratched behind Naga's ear but continued towards the door to the apartment.

Asami wasn't there with her luggage. There was no red-inked note on the floor.

Naga followed Korra as she put on her shoes and a light coat over her sweat-soaked pajamas. Korra grabbed her keys.

"You stay here, Naga, and watch after Asami, okay?" She met her polar bear dog's disappointed eyes with her apprehensive blues. Korra rubbed the sides of Naga's face. "I only trust _you_ to watch her, okay? Anything she needs, you help her, okay?" Korra booped Naga's nose with her own. Then she glanced at the door. "I just have to – think about some things. I'll be back soon." She gave Naga a final pat on the head without looking and shut the door behind her.

Korra sighed and traversed yet another hallway, down some stairs – _many_ stairs – until she was outside on the orange-lit streets of Republic City. She surveyed the area to get her bearings and then started walking. She moved in and out of the streetlights overhead simply by traveling down the sidewalk. Her skin shifted from warm to dark and back again until something before her changed the hue.

The closing of the door and pattering of Naga in the hall was enough to penetrate Asami's sleep. She stirred awake. It did not take her long to realize Korra was not beside her. She jumped from the bed and was greeted by Naga, who licked her cheek much the same as she had Korra's. Asami patted her.

"Where's Korra?" Her tone was urgent. It was unlike Korra to go off in the middle of the night unless she was letting Naga out for nature's call.

But Naga was here, and that is what alerted Asami.

Her heart raced.

Naga paced to the living room and put her nose against the glass.

Asami followed her and peered to the streets below. She could just make out a figure in a blue coat with dark hair and light blue pajama pants walking in and out of view from the streetlights.

_Korra? _

Asami grabbed one of her longer coats to cover her pajamas and slipped on some boots.

Naga followed her, wagging her tail.

"Don't worry, you're coming with me," Asami reassured Naga as she tossed her keys into her coat pocket.

_What is Korra doing? _Asami pondered until the elevator doors opened and the pair exited the apartment lobby. She glanced around but couldn't find Korra's figure anymore. She sighed and turned, her strides long and fast in the direction Korra was heading.

Naga trailed somewhat behind, somewhat beside Asami, her ears perked for any sign of danger; Korra entrusted her to protect Asami, and she wasn't going to let her down.

Korra's eyes fell upon the source of the hue shift. The lights no longer felt like an artificial orange. Rather, they were bright and full of power, swirling in shades of yellow and green.

"_Let's go on a vacation, just the two of us. Anywhere you want!" _The memory played in Korra's head.

"_Really? Okay… I've always wanted to see what the Spirit World is like."_

"_Sounds perfect."_

Korra sighed. She approached the Spirit Portal and each step played another memory of their adventures. The sights they saw, the Spirits they met, the feeling of Asami's hand in hers and how it felt so right and perfect.

Their first kiss.

Korra blushed and stopped short of the Portal. The glowing light drowned her out. She could feel the energy radiating from within this bridge to a whole different world.

Her eyes grew glassy. She sat in front of the portal and exhaled. She closed her eyes and tried to relax.

_Those weren't her words. They were Guan's. _Korra repeated to herself once again. _I know this. I know I know this. But… why does it hurt so much?_

_Because you're worried it's true, _another voice chimed in, a voice of doubt and fear and prodding. _You're worried Asami doesn't love you._

Korra tried to scoff at the notion but her lip quivered. Her dream returned to her in full view.

"What if it _is_ true," Korra whispered, barely able to get the words out without her voice cracking halfway.

"Korra?!"

Korra jumped to the sound of her name. She turned to find Asami and Naga standing on the outskirts of the vine-covered grounds surrounding the Spirit Portal.

"Asami?" Korra was more surprised than concerned.

Asami ran to her with Naga by her side.

Korra stood to meet her but couldn't meet her eyes.

Asami slowed to a cautious halt. "Is everything okay?"

"_I didn't want to leave without telling you. I owe you that much."_

Korra shook her head to rid herself of the dream but Asami took it as a "no". Which, who was Korra kidding if she tried to say otherwise.

Asami frowned and placed her hand on Korra's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Korra crossed her arms and stared into the sky. She couldn't see many stars with the humming glow of the Spirit Portal beside her. When she finally met Asami's gaze, her eyes were watery.

_This is dumb, _Korra thought to herself. _Why am I letting this get to me? _

"Korra," Asami slid her palm from Korra's shoulder to her cheek. Her face flooded with worry and it was easy for Korra to see.

Korra sighed and broke eye contact. She stared at Naga, who looked just as concerned as Asami did. Korra shifted her attention to the likes of a small flower that had rooted near her, one that reminded her of her adventure with Asami in the Spirit World.

"Asami," Korra struggled and swallowed the lump in her throat. "This is going to sound dumb but I just – can I ask you something?"

It was Asami's turn to force down her lump. She nodded, unsuccessful in formulating words.

"Do – do you," Korra locked into Asami's eyes. They were full of life and concern and vigor, still somewhat green despite the drowning yellow light behind her. "Do you still love me?"

Asami softened and tried to hide her relief. She placed her free hand on the other side of Korra's face and cupped her cheeks. "Of course I love you."

Korra smiled, just a touch, just enough of her worry fading away for it to break through. She put her hands over Asami's and leaned into her touch. She closed her eyes and apologized.

"It's okay," Asami started, "I was more concerned for you than anything." She pulled Korra into a gentle embrace. After a moment, she asked: "What brought this about?"

They departed and locked eyes once more, Korra's hands lingering on Asami's shoulders. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it isn't often that you leave in the middle of the night and come to the Spirit Portal."

Korra sighed. "Yeah, you're not wrong," she pulled away from Asami and crossed her arms. "It was just…" Korra furrowed her brow. "It was just a stupid dream. And I shouldn't even let it bother me. It was _Guan's _words, not yours."

Asami frowned. She deflated and lowered her eyes to the vines around her. "I said something hurtful to you when he had me under his control, didn't I?"

"No, no, I – it wasn't," Korra grew flustered. The last thing she wanted to do was make Asami feel sad or guilty.

"What did I say?"

"Asami – " Korra pleaded.

"What did I say?" Asami repeated, their eyes meeting once more.

Korra looked away. "It doesn't matter. It was in the past and it wasn't you," she replied, trying to convince Asami _and _the little voice of doubt in her head.

"It _does _matter," Asami responded. She put her hand on Korra's shoulder once more. "If it didn't, you wouldn't be dreaming about it, and you wouldn't be all the way out here."

"I was just trying to clear my head," Korra deflected, but soon deflated. "But - you're not wrong. I _did _dream about it. Though we both know my dreams haven't been too kind to me in the past." Korra lifted Asami's hand from her shoulder and placed it against her cheek. Their skin was stark against each other though they were both just as warm and anxious inside.

Asami didn't respond. She simply caressed Korra's skin with her thumb.

Korra enjoyed the sensation. Asami always knew just how to calm her down. She closed her eyes, kissed Asami's wrist, and exhaled. She lowered Asami's hand from her cheek and released it. She turned from Asami to face the Spirit Portal. She shrunk a bit and held her elbows.

"You tried to attack me. I didn't want to hurt you, so I deflected everything and cased you with earth. We had to put you in the platinum prison as we went to Zaofu. You looked so angry, yet empty." The chills returned over Korra's skin and she visibly shook. She stared deep into the Spirit Portal. "I apologized for what happened. You said 'don't pretend like you care about me'," Korra swallowed, " 'you are my enemy'," she concluded with a wince. "And when I tried to hold your hand, you pulled away and snapped at me, and yelled 'don't touch me' when I was just trying to get through to you," Korra pulled on her elbows, "and no matter what I did, I couldn't get through. If it weren't for Bataar Jr. and Kuvira, we never would have gotten through, and you would have hated me forever," Korra shook. "And I know that wasn't you, it _wasn't – you – _it was Guan. He brainwashed you. But I guess it – it took me aback, and that image of you just saying those things, over and over – I guess my subconscious started to worry about whether it _was _you and in my dream, you had packed your bags to leave and then you said all those things again but it was _you _who said it, not the fake you and…" Korra pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. "This is stupid, I shouldn't – "

Before she could finish, a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her waist and squeezed. Her back was pressed against Asami's front and hot tears soaked into her jacket.

"Korra, I'm so sorry," Asami whimpered.

Korra couldn't stop the tear that rolled down each of her cheeks. She leaned back and brushed Asami's cheek with her's. "It wasn't your fault. It wasn't you."

"But I'm still sorry you were hurt and are still hurting. And what sucks – what sucks is that I don't even _remember _it yet it is affecting you so much." Asami's whimpers grew louder. "I wish I could change what happened and take away your pain. I'm so sorry, Korra."

_That's true, Asami doesn't remember anything that happened. She lived and breathed and did things in those days completely out of her control and she doesn't even know what she did. That can't be easy, either. _Korra thought in a flash before her emotions took the wheel of her actions.

Korra spun in Asami's arms to face her for a proper embrace. They both held each other, the hum of the Spirit Portal drowning out the sound of Naga's footsteps nearby. Soon, the pair was wrapped in a warm, furry wall, each of their faces licked and booped once by Naga.

They brought Naga into the hug as was their reflex.

The three stood like that for quite some time, until the hum of the Spirit Portal became nothing but white noise.

Asami broke the silence.

"Korra," she mumbled, her throat a bit dry. She swallowed.

They locked eyes.

Asami cupped Korra's face once more. "I love you. And I care about you. More than I can put into words."

"So you're not sick of running around with me on my Avatar adventures?" Korra asked with caution.

"Of course not! Those are my favorite times."

Korra raised a brow. "Really?"

Asami nodded. "Of course. They might be dangerous, but they're worth it because I get to spend them with _you_."

Korra sniffled and buried her nose into the base of Asami's neck. She squeezed Asami into another embrace. "I'm sorry I let this get to me," Korra mumbled against her skin. "I guess I didn't tell you before because I didn't think it would hurt me like this and stick with me the way it had. And I didn't want you to feel guilty about things that weren't under your control. I know you love me. I guess I just – I don't know…"

"Needed some reassurance?"

Korra nodded.

"I understand," Asami rubbed Korra's back. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Korra smiled softly. "You've already done a lot to help." She straightened and stared into Asami's eyes. "Thank-you."

Asami smiled and brushed Korra's hair behind her ear. "Maybe there's one other thing I could do to reassure you."

Asami leaned closer to Korra, watching for her reaction. When Korra smiled and followed suit, they both closed their eyes and locked their lips in a loving kiss.

It lasted quite some time, until Naga uncurled herself from the pair and straightened. She cocked her head as the two finished their embrace.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Korra nodded. "I think I will be alright with time. And maybe some extra cuddles?"

Asami chuckled. "Of course. And if it's possible… could I have some extra cuddles, too?"

"Whatever you'd like." Korra nuzzled her face against Asami's neck once more. "I'm sure you're still trying to process everything that happened to you, too. And I'm sorry this all happened. I wish I would have been there to protect you. But I'm here now, so whatever I can do to help, just let me know."

Asami leaned into Korra. "Thank-you. I appreciate that."

They melded together for just a moment until they realized where they were.

"How about we go home and I run us a nice, hot bath?" Asami asked as she wove her fingers between Korra's.

Korra blushed and smiled. "Sounds lovely." Korra turned to Naga. "Come on girl, you can come too, and I'll give you a treat since you can't fit in the tub," Korra chuckled and wrapped an arm around Asami's waist. Asami rested her arm on Korra's shoulders.

"I love you, Asami."

"I love you, too, Korra."

They smirked, kissed once more, and made their way back to their apartment in Republic City, the Spirit Portal humming with its yellow-green glow.


End file.
